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Fairwinds Villa
The Fairwinds is a medium-sized merchant class villa located at the western edge of Waterdeep, perched on a narrow, oceanside ledge of land called The Cliffride, with breathtaking views of the sea. Its location, tucked away as it is, shields The Fairwinds from the hustle and bustle of the city, while still being just inside the security of its protective walls at the seaside edge of the metropolis. It shares its secluded Cliffride enclave with but two neighbors - Silavene's, a popular, upscale feasthall, and the New Olamn Bardic College, one of the most famous bardic colleges on the Sword Coast - so living at The Fairwinds places you just footsteps away from one of the most prodigious artistic venues in the city. The Neighborhood The Cliffride enclave is but a short walk from a few other renowned Waterdeep landmarks, including the Field of Triumph, the city's largest open-air arena, and the legendary Blackstaff Academy. The swath of Waterdeep just east of the Cliffride is sometimes referred to as “Temple Row,” owing to the number of large temples found there. Nearby temples include the Font of Knowledge (a huge Temple of Oghma), the Halls of Justice (a huge Temple of Tyr) and the Spires of the Morning (one of the most sacred Temples of Lathander in Faerun). To the north, one can find the cities largest temples to Tempus, Selune, and Gond. Also, within walking distance are the Flagon Dragon (a small tavern), Jhural's Dance (a small feasthall), and the Sapphire House (a large rooming house). Waterdeep's vast North Market is but a short carriage ride away. Melody Mount Walk: Traversing the ridge that separates The Cliffride from the rest of the city proper is a tunnel, cutting east-west, right through the ridge, called Melody Mount Walk. The tunnel connects the New Olamn College campus to the grounds of Blackstaff Academy, and greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to walk from one to the other. The Property The Fairwinds is a stand-alone property on a gently-sloping two-acre plot, making it one of the few villas within Waterdeep’s city walls with a small patch of arable land. The villa itself is surrounded by attractive gardens, and the cliffside soil is particularly suitable for the growing of grapes. The northern half of the plot is devoted to their cultivation; and, if properly tended, it produces about 2 tons of grapes per season (the equivalent of 120 cases of wine). All-in-all, The Fairwinds is a charming Waterdeep residence. The Fairwinds unusual placement, and proximity to the ocean, gives it a feel of being almost “remote,” and certainly very private. The villa has been described as “a small slice of the country, at the edge of big town.” While it lacks much of the luxurience and stateliness of a noble class villa, it makes up for that with an abundance of character and versatility. Its quiet, seaside location lends it a secluded feel, while still being located within handy reach of the city’s many splendors. Layout by Level Thee house itself is a medium-sized two-story dwelling with a partially-finished basement level. The general layout of the villa starts with a round “tower wing,” with 3 full levels (ground floor, second floor, and basement level), plus a small “cupola,” on the top-story of the tower. Branching off of this central tower wing are two more traditional wings, the east wing and the south wing, both 2 stories. * Ground Level: The ground level of the villa hosts most of the bedrooms, 6 large suites and 1 medium suite. Also on the ground floor are the main entry foyer, a large central Great Room, a large study/office, a small parlor, the kitchen and pantry, and a bathroom. * Second Story: The second story is devoted mostly to entertaining, as it hosts a large ballroom with adjacent bar, and the dining room. Also on the second floor is one additional medium bedroom suite, two smaller guests suites, and a library. Aside from offering copious storage, the basement level hosts a rec room and a pair of work spaces, the largest of which serves as a wine press and wine cellar. ** A rare Ocean Vista: The second level of the tower wing is devoted to a large multi-purpose room suitable for ballroom events or similar large gatherings. The floor of the ballroom is level with the top of the western wall of the city, making it high enough to above ground to give it a spectacular 270 degree ocean vista. The only third-story room is a small observation deck atop the ballroom, called The Cupola, which offers a panoramic view of the sea. Considering Waterdeep’s surrounding topography blocks the ocean from view for most of the city proper, this kind of vista is a true rarity - making the room a gem for private entertaining. In the days when The Fairwinds was a popular rental villa, the New Olamn College would occasionally rent the space for the hosting of temporary art exhibitions for Waterdeep’s high society. * Basement Level: The basement level of the tower wing hosts a spacious rec room, a wine press (wine making workshop), a wine cellar, and a secondary workshop area, ideal for a small magical laboratory. Together, these amenities take up about 3/4 of the basement level, with the remaining quarter available for storage. The wine cellar is currently stocked with nearly 500 bottles of wine, about half of which were produced at the Fairwinds private vineyard. Layout by Wing * The East Wing: Two more large bedroom suites (with similar amenities to those in the tower wing) are located on the ground floor of the east wing, as is a spacious study (which will serve as the HQ of The Stormshields in Waterdeep). The second floor hosts a medium bedroom suite, two smaller guest suites, and the library. Aside from these rooms, the east wing hosts a the main entry foyer, which is open to the floor above. * The South Wing: The ground floor of the south wing hosts a small reception parlor, the kitchen and pantry, another medium-sized bedroom suite, and a bathroom. On the second floor, there is a small bar room (adjacent to the ballroom), and a spacious dining room, making The Fairwinds ideal for entertaining. ** Servant Quarters: The rest of the south wing is devoted to servant quarters for between 12-20 servants (the standard compliment for a villa this size). In addition, the second floor of the south wing hosts a bar area and a spacious dining room, both with views of the ocean. The bar area is just off the ballroom. Below are two examples of what a complement of staff might look like for a villa this size, one small complement of staff, and one large one. * Tower Wing: The ground floor of the Tower Wing is devoted to 4 of the 6 large bedroom suites. Each of these large suites has a large private bath, a walk-in closet, and a lovely view of the surrounding gardens. Windows looking out from these bedrooms are not high enough to see over the city walls. * The Great Room: At the intersection of the villa’s 3 wings is a spacious, 2-story great room, featuring a charming, 2nd-story wrap-around balcony, and a grand staircase leading up to the ballroom. This unique central room open layout aspects of the villa’s layouts, joining the 3 wings in an interesting for its long, curvaceous rails of fine wood. It is a memorable room. External Structures * Stables: The Fairwinds has its own stables, separate from the house, large enough to house up to 8 standard mounts and a carriage.